Starlight
by The Cold and Careful Lady
Summary: Matters of the heart require time...and a little advice. When a young girl is hurting and confused, a lady that she has just met dispenses some help in the form of a story. It turns out, she knows the woman a bit better than she thinks. Written for Forever Siriusly Sirius's Taylor Swift "Red" Challenge.


_"that night we snuck into a yacht club party, pretending to be a duchess, and a prince!"~Starlight, Taylor Swift_

* * *

The young redheaded girl strolled into the Three Broomsticks with a depressive air around her. She looked confused and sad as she sat at the bar to order a butterbeer. The older woman beside her glanced her way, and smiled, the girl smiling back. After a few moments, the lady turned to her again.

"I don't mean to pry, but are you alright?" The lady asked. The girl sighed.

"No. I'm honestly not alright at all. But I can't tell my friends, because I don't know what they would say, and honestly, no one really understands."

"Why dear? Just let it out. Sometimes it helps to spill to a stranger." The older lady looked concerned for the young girl; she was that age at one point too.

"At this point, sure. Anything that will help." The girl's tone was dry. "You see, there is this boy. And he has been…enamored with me for years. I've always brushed it off, sometimes hexing him if he got annoying. He's started to mature though. I've become friends with this boy, and we are…partnered together a lot for rounds and such. He's grown up quite a bit, and I've noticed lots of things about him, and I just don't know what to do because I might just be falling in love with this boy! It has been so confusing because this year it is like he is just trying to be my friend. He hasn't asked me out once at all, and I'm worried that he might be over me. I'm at the point where I might just say yes if he asks me out again!" The girl ended this last part in a wail, and dramatically flopped her head down on her crossed arms. "And I also just spilled my heart out to a complete stranger. _Wonderful_."

The older woman raised the young girl's chin, and smiled at her. "It is quite alright dear. You have an hour or so before the other students get here, correct?" The girl nodded, blushing slightly now that her rule-breaking had been found out. "Don't worry, I won't tell my dear friend Minerva. I believe you know her as Professor McGonagall. That however, is a story for another time. How about we go to one of the tables and I will tell you the correct story for your problem. It might help, it might not, but it might just clarify some things for you."

"At this point, it can't hurt, and I do have time to kill. All I have to do is pick up some quills and parchment later." The girl said moodily.

So, the pair of women relocated to a booth near the middle of the pub, not too far from the bar. They sat down, ordered a couple more butterbeers, and the older lady started to tell her story.

* * *

Dorea Black strolled the boardwalk along the River Thames, looking nervously about so as not to be recognized. Not that anybody _she_ knew would be caught dead in Muggle London. The Global War (World War II for the Muggles) had ended a few months previous, and the atmosphere was light and cheery here; it was a stark contrast from her home.

Dorea's parents were pure-blood maniacs, and home was not a delightful place at this point. Frosty would be a kind description of Black Manor. Dorea was the baby of the family, a mere five years older than her horrid niece Walburga, and was due to start her seventh year at Hogwarts in September. It was her seventeenth birthday today, July 8th actually, and she chose to spend it alone, in a place that was forbidden to her.

Her auburn hair whipped around her face in the brisk wind, and she adjusted her light cardigan around her shoulders. Dorea had purchased the Muggle clothes after she had started making trips to the Muggle world. She fit in better that way, and was less likely to be recognized. To be frank, the young girl preferred the fashionable cuts of the dresses and skirts as opposed to robes. She also had discovered high heels, which were to die for when a Cushioning Charm was applied.

Lost in her thoughts, Dorea meandered along; she felt safe from her parent's associates. Suddenly, the slim girl bumped into a tall figure, and she was knocked down. The person she bumped into reached down, and helped her up.

"I beg your pardon for not watching myself. I was lost in thought." Dorea apologized. She then looked up into the eyes of the person, and was shocked.

The boy she had bumped into was tall, with absolutely untamable black hair, and blue eyes. He wore a pair of slacks and a dress shirt, and he was well muscled. That was something he most certainly did not gain those from Quidditch; Dorea found him working out early one morning during a trek around the lake. He was in Gryffindor House at her school, as opposed to her Ravenclaw, and his name was Charlus Potter.

"Dorea Black? What on earth are you doing here?" His voice had a nice tone to it, deep and strong. It complemented Dorea's musical voice nicely.

"Walking along the boardwalk Charlus. I was merely trying to get away. My family…well, you know." Dorea sighed slightly.

The two teenagers were on amicable terms as their House's got along well, and after being partnered for a Defense project the previous year Charlus and Dorea had gotten to know each other decently well. They were what could be called casual friends.

"Ahh, yes. I do imagine that it would get a bit chilly at your home. Mine on the other hand, has been quite joyous."

"Yes, I do believe that these are happy days at Potter Manor, as well as for the rest of the world. Sadly, my family does not agree with my viewpoint. I've managed to escape for a few hours, but I shall have to be back later. I am thinking of just ditching it. Wh-"

"You're ditching what?" Charlus spoke just as Dorea started her next sentence.

"My birthday party. I'm seventeen today." Dorea rolled her eyes. "The party will be horrid though. Mother will just remind me once again that I am not engaged, and that _pureblood women_ should not work, and all sorts of ridiculous protocol like that. So, I ditched the party to come out to Muggle London. What are you doing here anyways?"

"I'm taking the long way home from the Ministry. Father has me interning with the DMLE this summer, and I like to walk around London when I get off. I eventually make my way back to the Leaky Cauldron, though I stall as long as possible." At Dorea's questioning look, Charlus continued. "I haven't taken the apparition test yet, so I would have to Floo. And I am _awful _at Flooing." Charlus was completely serious, which made Dorea giggle. "Look! I made the fair lady laugh!" This just set Dorea to laughing more, and Charlus soon joined her.

After they calmed down, the two teenagers started walking again, and away from the Leaky Cauldron. They chatted about nothing for a while, just meandering along. Charlus was enjoying the respite from his loving, but overbearing parents. Dorea was just glad to be gone from her home for a while, and to be with someone that did enjoy her company. Dorea learned that Charlus had come of age two weeks ago, a few days after the end of term; Charlus found out that Dorea had been learning housekeeping charms all summer long.

* * *

As the sun went down, Charlus wrapped his arm around Dorea's waist, under the guise of keeping her warm of course. They reached the end of the boardwalk, and they came upon what looked like a party. Ladies were getting out of cars wearing fine dresses, assisted by dapper men. Dorea read the sign, and it was the 5th anniversary gala of the _Siren's Spire _yacht club.

It was a premier Muggle club, filled with various nobility and royalty from other countries. The club was located worldwide, and the headquarters were merely located in London. Of course, neither teen knew this.

"Looks nice." Dorea commented. "They're all dressed to the nines."

"That it does. Let's sneak in." Charlus was abrupt.

"What!"

"I'm serious! You're of age today. Do something spontaneous. We could pull it off. I bet we could fool everyone in there into thinking that we belong."

"We don't have proper clothes…" Dorea warned.

"Are you a witch or not? Just transfigure the clothes you have on. I'll do mine as well." Charlus's tone was cheeky.

"Fine. But we're only sneaking into a club this once, and only because I want to ditch that horrid party. I want to leave by ten though."

The two teenagers slipped into an alley where they each transfigured their clothes into something similar to what most people were wearing; Charlus conjured a top hat out of thin air. Charlus held his arm out to Dorea, and she took it in the formal custom that had been drilled into them since they could walk. He escorted her to the door, and they waited in line for the guest list.

"Alright Charlus! How on earth are we supposed to get past this?" Dorea hissed.

The boy appraised the line with a critical eye. "Change of plans. We're going 'round back."

"Oh Merlin." Dorea rolled her eyes. "Why did I let myself be roped into this?"

Charlus just ignored her comment and grabbed her hand. The two teenagers found a back door, and carefully nudged it open. The two slipped inside, and Dorea let out a breath.

"That was close."

"Don't speak too soon. We must face the masses now." Charlus was dramatic.

"If we get kicked out, I'm blaming you." Dorea quirked an eyebrow and put on her most menacing face, which just sent her companion into laughter. "Oh, shut up." She shoved Charlus's shoulder, and after a few moments he calmed down.

"Let's go now. I want to pull this off." Charlus led her through a series of halls.

They ducked into doorways on occasion, and once or twice had to turn around at a dead end. Finally, they found the ballroom. A couple of quick cleaning charms later, which made them look impeccable again, the two stepped into the doorway.

"Names please?" The announcer asked. He was a thin, reedy man, with a perpetually snooty look on his face.

"I am Prince Charles of…Moldova and I am escorting..." Charlus began.

"Duchess Dorothy Blackmoor." Dorea interrupted, gaining a disapproving look from the announcer.

"Prince Charles of Moldova escorting Lady Dorothy, Duchess of Blackmoor." The announcer called while the doormen opened the doors.

Charlus escorted his lovely companion down the grand staircase, all eyes on them. Both teenagers silently thanked their etiquette and dance tutors; their training would come in handy tonight. The teenagers mingled a bit, engaging in small talk here and there. They were easily the youngest at the gala, but they held their cool quite well. Soon, the dancing started, and Charlus asked Dorea for a dance. They walked onto the floor with the other couples, and started in time with the music.

"So, are you enjoying yourself?" Charlus asked midway through.

"I thought I would never say it, but I am. My mother is probably scandalized though." Dorea glanced at the large Grandfather Clock. "I've missed my own birthday party by almost four hours."

"Why so you have! My goodness…upsetting protocol and fraternizing with Muggles! You should be ashamed of yourself Dorea!" Charlus said all of this in a surprisingly good mock of her mother's voice.

"That was awfully good you know." Dorea was consumed in a fit of giggles, her shoulder shaking in mirth while they danced.

"I am aware my dear." Charlus had slipped into a fake pompous attitude, and it was enough to set his lovely companion off again.

"Arrogant git."

* * *

Soon, the clock struck ten, and the agreed upon time had been reached. Charlus and Dorea made the rounds of farewells to people they had never met, and would probably never see again. After the teenagers had fulfilled what the masses at the party had assumed was their "duty", the young ones took a walk in a nearby park, having transfigured their clothes back by now.

Dorea was familiar with the peaceful landscape; she visited London almost every chance she got nowadays. Her mother supposed that she had a boyfriend, as did her sister Cassiopeia. She didn't get along with Cygnus at all. He was one of Grindlewald's followers. And Marius…her older brother Marius had been cast out of the family when he was eleven for being a Squib. Last she knew he had been sent to live with their disowned Uncle Phineas.

"Knut for your thoughts?" Charlus asked. His fair companion had a pensive look on her face, and her face was tight, her nose scrunched slightly and her eyes crinkled.

"There's a lot in my thoughts now. Pick a less vague topic." Dorea sighed, sitting down on the grass damp with dew.

Charlus sat beside her. "Alright. Let's see…I know your views on blood-purity, so that's out. I already know that it's your birthday today… What is your favorite color?"

"Blue." Dorea smiled faintly. "It's one of the only colors that goes well with my hair. But I prefer the lighter shades. Turquoise is my favorite."

"I can see. Your dress indicates that." Charlus took his opportunity to look her up and down.

"My turn now. What would you like to do after school?"

"Become an Auror, then an Unspeakable. I think the mystery of the job would be the best part, and the research would be very intriguing. But for the time being, an Auror would be a good line of work. Maybe I would even stay on as a Reserve after becoming an Unspeakable. After the war, well, my father has told me that the Auror Corps's numbers have been seriously diminished. It would be helping out, while still being able to pursue the job that I have dreamed about for a very long time." Charlus moved his hands as he spoke, gesturing about himself. "What about you?"

"An Auror Medic. It's like being the best of both. I would be trained to fight and heal, and I would be an asset to either line of work. It's a position that I have wanted for a very long time, but I doubt that it will ever come through." The auburn-haired beauty rolled her hazel eyes.

"Why is that? You certainly have the brains to accomplish anything, and I think you have the guts to be on the battlefield, along with the calm head. You would have been a marvelous Gryffindor." Charlus queried quietly.

"I actually asked the Sorting Hat to put me in Ravenclaw. I might have been disowned had I gone to Gryffindor. And because of the ever-cursed protocol that my mother follows to the letter. I wouldn't be surprised if she starts arranging my marriage tomorrow. She's positively obsessed with finding me the perfect match. And, you have to admit, how many men out there actually wish that their future wife would work? With my luck I'll be stuck with someone like Abraxas Malfoy, that stuck-up ponce. Or I'll just be sold off to the highest bidder. Love won't even be part of the equation, and my dreams are all that they are now. Just dreams." At that, Dorea Black broke down in tears.

Charlus wrapped his arms around her, and held his classmate as she sobbed. He felt something for the girl. He had the whole world ahead of him; he was a rich, pureblood male with impeccable grades, a sense of humor, and he happened to be devilishly handsome. Nothing could stop him. But the girl in his arms had so much more that should be ahead of her. She was more brilliant than he was, and very brave. She also seemed to want to help people, a trait that he greatly admired. It also helped that she was beautiful. Seeing her in the outfit for the gala solidified that in his mind. It was wrong the way that society was holding her back. There were so many girls in her situation, but he doubted that any of them would reach their full potential because of their families.

"My mother wants my wife and I to have ten kids whenever I get married." Charlus stated.

"I feel bad for that poor woman." Dorea sat up and wiped the tears from her cheeks, a look of mirth crossing through her eyes.

"So do I." Charlus laughed.

"I mean, imagining you in miniature is bad enough, but ten of them! That woman would need a Mind Healer before the youngest went to Hogwarts!"

"I'd teach them how to dream though. Whether there is one or ten." Charlus hit a more serious note. "It's important for kids to dream."

"Yes it is. It's what has kept me sane all of these years." Dorea's mood took a darker turn again, but it was replaced quickly by a happier look. She stood up, smoothed out her turquoise dress, and picked her cream cardigan.

"What are you doing?" Charlus asked.

"I really must be on my way home, or I won't be let out of the house till Hogwarts comes again." Dorea smiled slightly. "It's not far from here at all."

"I'll walk you back." At the shake of her head, Charlus rolled his eyes. "I insist. It's the _proper_ thing to do after all." He smirked slightly at his emphasis of the word proper while she rolled her eyes.

"Alright. But only because neither of us have our apparition licenses yet." Dorea acquiesced.

The two fell into a companiable silence as they made their way back to Number 12 Grimmauld Place. Charlus wrapped his arm around her waist once more, and Dorea leaned her head on his shoulder. Soon enough, the streets faded into familiarity for Dorea, and they reached the Black Family Home within a matter of minutes.

"Well, here we are!" Dorea sighed despondently.

"Don't be so sad. It's not too long until school starts back up again, and then you'll be free!" Charlus urged as he walked her to the door.

"Very true." She smiled slightly. "Thank you for hanging around with me tonight. It was the best birthday I've ever had."

"Would you like to do it again some time?" Charlus asked, his blue eyes looking up at her from where he stood.

"I would like that very much. Owl me with a good date, alright?"

"Alright."

Dorea smiled broadly, swiftly kissed him on the cheek, and went inside her dark old house, her turquoise dress fading from Charlus's sight.

* * *

"And that is the end my dear." The lady said to the young girl as she finished her tale.

"That's it! What happened next?" The girl's green eyes grew wide, and she sat on the edge of her seat. "Did their relationship survive? Did they get married? Did they ever really have ten kids?" She had become so caught up in the story, and now she was desperate for answers. "Did Dorea ever become an Auror Medic? What about Charlus? Did he fulfill his dream of becoming an Unspeakable? What happened next?"

The lady laughed. "Charlus and Dorea had a secret romance for the rest of that summer, and they made it public when they reached Hogwarts again. Her parents were very angry with her, but they did not disown her as that would have been a horrendous slight to the House of Potter. The couple married four years after graduation, which is also when Dorea finished post-graduation school, and was qualified to be an Auror Medic. Charlus loved her for her dreams, you see, and she loved him for his. He did become an Unspeakable, as well as an Auror Reserve. Ten children were out of the picture, but the couple did have one son."

"So they got their happily ever after, and their dreams were fulfilled. I'm glad. Stories like theirs aren't meant to end in tragedy." The young girl smiled, and sighed deeply. A noise from outside caught her attention and she glanced out the window. "Oh look! The students are here."

"Delightful! I would love for you to meet my son. He's such a sweet boy. It shouldn't take but a moment if you have somewhere to go."

"It would be my pleasure." The girl smiled softly.

"Wonderful!" The older lady's eyes crinkled at the corners, and her graying auburn hair looked brighter for a moment in the sunlight. "Ahh, here he comes now!"

But the young girl couldn't see who it was, because at that moment the doors of the Three Broomsticks burst open, and a sea of Hogwarts students poured in. The young girl's back was to the door, and she twisted back to face her new…friend. The lady's face brightened as someone approached, and she stood up hastily.

"Hello darling! It has been so long!" The woman was hugging a tall, lanky, and admittedly well-muscled figure that had a crop of perpetually messy black hair. The young girl knew who this was, and it absolutely tugged at her gut.

"I know Mum, I know! Oh, Sirius said he might try and catch you before you Apparate home, but he's escorting his flavor of the week around town."

"Have you tried to knock some sense into him dear?" The woman raised an eyebrow.

"I've tried, but it is awfully hard to teach an old dog new tricks." A smile quirked at the lips of the teenager when he said that, though the young girl didn't know why.

He acted so different around his mother. Not at all like he did around other people. In fact, this was how he often acted in their shared Common Room. It made the young girl wonder if he was just acting in public.

"Oh my goodness, let me introduce you to someone I met today." The young girl's eyes widened and she sat up a bit straighter.

"It's alright." The girl stood up and smiled sweetly. "James and I have met before. Quite often actually."

James Potter's eyes grew enormous, and he went a shade paler before he composed himself. "Lily! I never expected you to be here. And how did you meet my mother?"

"I snuck out." At his flabbergasted face, she laughed. "Yes, the passage behind the one-eyed witch. I discovered it fourth year, and a Disillusionment Charm does work wonders. Your mother and I have been chatting since then, but I didn't know she was your mother until now…" She raised an eyebrow in his mother's direction.

"Yes, my mum, Dorea Potter." James sighed dramatically. "Mum, this is Lily Evans." Dorea's eyebrows rose at her name in recognition.

Lily gasped suddenly. "So that was you in the story! I had assumed that you were related to her in some way, but I had assumed that you were Cassiopeia, or an old friend or something."

"No my dear," Dorea Potter laughed. "That was my story." To her son she said, "It was the story of the time your father and I snuck into a Muggle yacht club. I just expanded on the version that you were told at nine." James nodded in assent.

"Well, I need to pick up another quill and some parchment like I said earlier, so I should go before the traffic hits Scrivenshaft's. It was nice meeting you Mrs. Potter, and I think the story did help. It certainly cleared some things up for me. I'll see you tonight James. We have the patrol schedules to go over."

"Nice meeting you too Lily. I'm glad you understand what I meant."

"I think I do. Chances are marvelous things, aren't they? We shouldn't waste them." Lily smiled softly, and a twinkle broke out in her eye when she noticed James's puzzled expression. "I'll tell you tonight when we complete the patrol schedules James."

He broke out in a smile of his own. "I finished those this morning. They're on the table in the Common Room. Bye Lily!" He gave her a swift hug before she walked off.

Lily's face broke a bit at his comment, but she forced back a smile, and waved as she walked out into the village. Yes, chances certainly were not to be wasted... She had a lot to think about now.

* * *

**AN: Sorry everybody that I haven't updated lately. Life has been busy what with preparing for school and such. I probably will slow down on the updating once school starts, but I hope to update both Letting The Light Shine Through, as well as The Strange Ones before then. I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!**


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